Synchronously operated motion picture and sound reproduction apparatus



July 21, 1931. 1,815,694

SYNCHRONOUSLY OPERATED MOTION PICTURE AND SOUND REPRODUCTION APPARATUSA. DE MADALER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1927 ATTORNEY?July 21, 1931. A. DE MADALER 1,815,694

SYNCHRONOUSLY OPERATED MOTION PICTURE AND SOUND REPRODUCTION APPARATUSOriginal Filed Nov. 5, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

July 21, 1931. 1,815,694 SYNCHRONOUSLY OPERATED MOTION PIOTURE'AR SOUNDREPRODUCTION APPARATUS A. DE M'ADALER Original Filed Nov. 5, 1927Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY5'.

Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR DE MADALER OFHAMPTON BAYS, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR, BYMESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO VISIONOLAMFG. CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- Original application n1RATION O1 DELAWARE SYNOHRONOUSLY OPERATED MOTION PICT'ORE AND SOUNDREPRODUCTION AIPARATUS' ed November 5, 1927, Serial No. 231,362.1Jivided and this application filed 'necii'ier s, msiserrarre;324,075..Renewed June 27, 1930.

' parat-us. I

It is a further object of this 1nvent1on to y This invention relates totalking moving picture apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement whereby theproduction of the features commonly known as talking moving pictures maybe produced easily and simply,

It is an additional object of this invention to provide apparatus ofthe'character described, compactly housed, and simply con-- producer,mounted on said support, willbe.

driven synchronously with "the picture reproducer.

It is a further object ofthis invention to arrange a device of, thecharacter described, in which novel means are involved for synchronizinthe, sound reproducer with respect to t e operation of the projectiona'p;

providejan assembly, including a sound r eproducer and a projectionapparatus, 1n

--which eemrnenmrivrmeansis utilized for .said' sound reproducer andsaid projection "apparatus, and in which; a film rewinding means isprovided, and operated by the same power means. t

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the constructions hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims. v p 7 VIn the accompanying drawings,in which are shown some of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an apparatus, embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a frontelevational view of said apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said apparatus, the

turntable being removed, the top of the cabinet being opened, the lightsource ordinarily positioned thereon being swung to oneapparatus, withthe front door thereof swung downward.

Fig. 6 is a lonlg'itudinal sectional view on the line 66 of 'g. 3.

On the drawings, a casing 2 is seen to support the unitary projector andsound reproducer 4, said casing 2 being formed to provide any suitablesou nd directive device,.

such as the horn 5, with which is coupled the conduit 6 leading to thetone arm 8, with This application is a division of applicawh'icficonnected the reproducer-element tion Ser, No. 23li,3fi2, filed Novfiher5, 1927,

Certainfea'tdtes of novelty,-show'n and de scribed herein are shown,described and claimed in said application, and in application Ser. No.324,076, filed Dec. 6, 1928, filed simultaneously herewith and aretherefore not claimed herein. v

With the exception of the objects of in-- vention, necessarilyv includedin said copending application, and inaddition to theobjects set forthabove, other objects of the in-' vention herein described will be inpart obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

10. Reproducerelementltl mayhepositioned" that access may be had to theinterior of the said cabinet for repair purposes or the like. The frontdoor 26 of said cabinet likewise is hinged at 28 for movement forwardly,and

downwardly, into a position substantially horizontal, in which positionit is retained by means of the guide and stopping arrangement 30. Door26 carries certain features of the projection apparatus 16, which willbe hereinafter described.

The power means 18may be of any suitable character for the purposesindicated; it is herein shown as an electric motor, the

' driven shaft 32 of which extends in opposite directions therefrom. Onone .side, said shaft by means of a worm and worm wheel coii' nection34, drives the vertical shaft 36,-upon the upper end of which is mountedthe helical gear 38. A shaft 40, extending transversely of shaft 32, andin the plane of gear 38, is

bearinged within the bracket arms 42, which extend forwardl from therearwall 44 of cabinet 14. Sha t 40 carries the complementary helicalgear 46-which meshes with gear 38 to drive said shaft. The helical gears48 and 50 carried on shaft 40 mesh with the respective complementaryhelicalv gears 52 and "54 on the respective transverse shafts 56 and 58.Each of shafts 56 and 58 has a bearing formed in the rear wall 44, theshafts then extending forwardly through thebearing support 60 which ismounted on the rear face of panel 25. The sprockets 62 and 64, by meansof whichfilm for the projector apparatus is fed through the gate 66,mounted on said panel are carried on the ends of shafts 56 and 58.

Mounted above the helical gear 38 on the shaft 36, is-a gear 68, thefirst gear of a train 50 shaft 76, as for instance onma shoulder 82,

ative to saidshaft, but in the manner h'fe formed at the upper end ofsaid shaft, is the turntable 12. Said turntable isrotatgb le rel-"inafter a-ppeariegflsrestrainedagainstmove- 55 ment in one dlrectlon.

65 rotate turntable 12 forwardly, without inter- 0n aportion of shaft76, intermediately positioned betweenthe turntable 12 and the gear 74 isremovably mounted, as by the pin.

and slot arrangement 84, the gear or ratchet j cation Ser. No. 231,362.

60 wheel 86. The paw'ls'88, arranged on the bot 1,

tom of the turntable 12 are designed to be brought into operativeengagement with the teeth of said wheel, or they will slip over.

said teeth when it is desired, for instance, to

ference or assistance by driven gear 74. By this arrangement when it isnecessary to position a record on said table, in a particular. relationto the stylus of the reproducer ele-' ment 10, the table may, when thepower means 18 is not operating, be rotated, in the direction ofordinary travel, to bring the record into 'proper relation with saidstylus.

In this relation, it is noted that turntable 12 may have an upwardlyextending member or pin 89, to be engaged in a notch 91 cutin the record93, whereby the record will be positively positioned, relatively to theturntable 12, and therefore, the drive means herein de-' SCE-lbBd',fOI"synchronizingth'e operation said record with said projection apparatus,in relation to' a starting groove 95 on said record.

It is further noted that the turntable 12 cannot be rotated in a reversedirection, because of the cooperation of the pawls 88 with the teeth ofthe wheel 86. Further, when it is desired to dismount the parts of thesound reproducer, for any reason, the turntable is easily lifted offshaft 76, after which the shaft power means 18. Furthermore, there ismounted on the shaft 58, alpulley 94 over which is trained a'belt 96which is operatively connected with pulley 98, mounted on a shaft 100.In like manner, the driven shaft32 of the power means 18 has a pulley102 thereon, by means of which a belt104, extending over an idler pulley105, transmits power to a pal ley 106, mounted upon another transversebearing ed and have their forward. ends formed with a coupling memberhoused within casings and 112, within which is also housed in each casecomplementary coupling "member llach of said complementary couplingmembers i s se'cured-enthegnd of a shaft of the respective film reels111and*'-113, mounted within the space between the panel 114 and thedoor 26, in the manner more particularly described in said copqndingappli- A lever 116, pivotally mounted on the base ofcabinet 14 ispivotally connected to the collars 118 and 120, which are mounted on theshafts 100 and 108. When the lever 116 is moved, the collars 118 and 120will move their associated shafts and thereby positively couple one of90 with the wheel86, the gear 74, and the assothe shafts 100 and 108individually, to the respective reels, above described, at the samethrough the intermittent feeding arran emen t,'more fully described inconnection wlth said application Ser. No. 231,362, and in copendingapplication .Ser. No. 324,076; or, by

positioning the film, as described in detail in the latter application,the film is rewound upon reel 113.

Pivotally mounted within cabinet 14, upon the pin 124, and at one sidethereof, for movement over the top of said cabinet and down over theside thereof, is the light source 126, which when mounted over the topof the cabinet, will be positioned V to direct light downwardly to thegate 66, over which the film will be passed. The light by means of alight directive arrangement, more particularly described in copendingapplication, Ser. No."324,076, is then passed to the objective lenses128, first however being properly regulated in the well known manner bya shutter 130. Said shutter is rotated by a spring member 132, whichwhen thedoor'26 is closed, engages a portion of a drive shaft 133,driven from shaft 135 which is theforward end of motor drive shaft 32,and is'also utilized in supplying power to a Geneva or otherintermittent motion device whereby the sprocket 139 is driven to feedfilmintermittently past gate 66, as is morefully disclosed in said aplication Ser. N 0. 231,362.

ny suitable governor 134 may be provided, properly connected with owermeans 18 to regulate the speed thereo in the well known manner of suchdevices. At the side walls of the cabinet 14'may be mounted the 140andaplug connection .142, with the stationary contact portion 144 on theside wall of the cabinet 14, so that the light source, when desired, maybe remov' d entirely from connection with the cabinet- 14, after theremoval of the pin 124. Any suitable stop may be provided, in connectionwiththebracket 148, upon which the light source is mounted, for limitingmovement of said source relative to the top of the cabinet 14.

1 It can thus be seen that there has been provided a unitary assembly inwhich is cooperatively brought together a sound reproducer and a motionpicture pro1ector,assembled with a unitary drive, for synchronousaction, the arrangement being such that the partsthereof are readilyaccessible, in the manner pointed out above.

In-jthis relation, therefore, there have been provided devices in'whichthe several objects of this invention are achieved and which are welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use. n 7

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in alimiting sense. Also,"

features shown, whether described or not, and not comprehended withinthe scope of the accompanying claims are, included in claims incopending-applications.

1. In a machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound insynchronism, the combination with a base, a motor mounted thereon havinga drive shaft, a vertical shaft connected to said drive shaft, aturntable mounted for rotation thereon, a panel mounted vertically onsaid base, picture projectionapparatus mounted adjacent said panelincluding film feeding mechanism and reels for said film mounted on thefront of said panel so as to be separated from the turntable and drivemechanism therefor, operating shafts extending therefrom and connectionsfrom said-operating shafts to said drive shaft.

2'. In a machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound insynchronism, the combination comprising a turntable, a motor, op-

erating connections from said motor to said turntable and includingcoacting members permitting freedom of movement of the turntable in onedirection without interfering with the operating connection,- whereb theturntable may be manually rotated to ring the same in synchronism withsaid picture apparatus when starting the machine, motion pictureprojection apparatus, operating connections therefrom to said motor andincluding a clutch, means for-actuating the clutch at will.

3. A machine for reproducing-motion pictures and sound in synchronismcomprising, in combination, a motor, a supporting base, a shaftrotatably mounted on said base and operatively connected to said motor,a-ratchet wheel carried by said shaft, a sound record carrier looselymounted on said shaft, a pawl mounted on said carrier so as to cooperatewith said ratchet to rotate the carrier when said shaft is operated butpermitting free rotation of the turntable in one direction only when theshaft is at rest, and motion picture projection apparatus operativelyconnected to said motor, and so arranged that the. film may bepositioned to start at a-predeterminedpoint, whereby the illusion oftalking motion pictures is produced when the sound record carrier andfilm are operated concurrently.

4. In a machine for re roducing motion pictures and sound in syncronism, the com- 139 film handling mec panel, film reeling and windingmechanism mounted on theopposite side of said panel, said panel formin apartition between the banism and the sound reproducing apparatus, andoperative connections from the projection apparatus to said motor. I

5. In a machinevfor re roducing motion pictures and sound in syncronism, the. combination with a base, a motor, a phonograph turntablemounted .on the base and operatively connected to the motor, a panelmounted on said base, picture pro ection apparatus mounted adjacent saldpanel com- .prising film feeding and take-up reels rotatably mounted .onone side of the panel and parallel thereto so as to be separated fromthe phonograph turntable, film feeding mechanism operatively connectedto said motor and mounted in the laneiof'the reels so as to feed thefilm across said panel from one reel ,tothe other.

6. A machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound in synchronismand compactly arranged to be readily portable as a unit comprlsmg, incombination, amotor, a

supporting base, a shaft rotatably mounted on said base and operativelyconnected to said -,motor, a' sound record carrier mounted on saidshaft, picture projection apparatus carried by said base and comprisingfilm feeding mechanism, operating gears therefor, operatin connectionsmounted on said base between said gears and motor, a take-up reelmounted at one side of said feeding mechanism, an

operating shaft for said reel rotatably mount- 1 ed on said base, aflexible operatin connection between the motor and said ree shaft, aseconil reel, and a light source and lens s s- 1 also carried by saidbase and mova 1e 7. A machine for reproducing motion pictures and soundin synohronism and compactly'arranged tobe readily portable as a unitcomprising, in combination, a motor, a v supporting base, a shaftrotatably mounted on said base and operatively connected to said motor,a sound record carriermounte'd on said shaft, picture projectionapparatus carried by said base and comprising film feeding mechanism,operating gears therefor, operatin connections mounted on said basebetween said gears and motor, a take-up reel mounted at one side of saidfeeding mechanism, an o ratin shaft for said reel rotatably mounte onsald base, a flexible operating connection between the motor and saidreel shaft, a second reel, a shaft therefor, operating connectionstherefrom to said motor including a movable clutch whereby the secondreel may 7 be selectively driven so as to rewindjthe film,

and a light source "and carried by said-base;

8. A combination sound and picture reproduction apparatus, single powermeans therelens system all also for, a drive connection for said soundapparatus from said power means and including means capable of drivingoperation in pne direction only, whereby the turntable may be manuallyrotated to bring the same in synchronism with said picture apparatuswhenparatus comprising an operating shaft, film feeding mechanism andfeeding and take-up reels; a motor; operating connections from saidmotor to the respective shafts; the light reproduction apparatus beingso mounted with respect to said panel that the film feeding and reelingmechanism is separated from the sound reproducing apparatus and thedrive mechanism.

10.,In a machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound insynchronism, the combination with a base, a motor mounted thereon havinga drive shaft, a vertical shaft connected to said drive shaft, aturntable mounted for rotation therewith, a panel mounted at one side ofsaid base, picture projection apparatus mounted on said panel includinga pair of reels mounted adjacent the ends of said panel, film feedingmeans therebetween, said panel separating the film handling mechanismfrom the sound'reproducing apparatus, and a gate for the reception ofthe film, a light source and lens system cooperating with said gate, theparts being so arranged that the film will be fed across the panel fromadjacent one end to adjacent the other end of said panel, and operatingconnections from said projection apparatus to said motor.

ly. connected to the motor, apanel mounted on said base,pictureprojection apparatus mounted adjacent said panel comprising filmfeeding and take-up reels rotatably mounted on one side of the panel andparallel thereto, film feeding mechanism operatively connected to saidmotor and mounted betweensai'd reels and operating in the same plane assaid reels so as to feed the film from one reel to the other, said panelarranged to form a partition between said turntable and said picture proection apparatus.

12. A machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound 1n synchronlsmcomprlsmg the combination with a motor; a supporting base; a shaftrotatably mounted on said base and operatively connected to said motor,and a sound record carrier mounted on said shaft, of picture projectionapparatus comprising film feeding mechanism; operating connectionsbetween the film feeding mechanism and the motor, a take-up reel mountedat one side of said feeding mechanism, an operating connection betweensaid reel and motor including a movable clutch, a second reel, an operating connection therefrom to said motor also including a movable clutch,a control lever, connections from said lever to both of said clutches toenable the control lever to actuate said clutches simultaneously butoppositely to drive either reel independently of the other, and a lightsource andv lens system, and means forming a separate compartment forthe film handling mechanism from the phonograph mechanism.

13. A machine for reproducing motion pictures and sound in synchronismcomprising the combination with a motor; a supporting base; a shaftrotatably mounted on said base and operatively connected to said motor,and a sound record carrier mounted on said shaft, of picture projectionapparatus comprising film feeding mechanism; operating connectionsbetween the film feeding mechanism and the motor, a take-up reel mountedat one side of said feeding mechanism, anoperating connection betweensaid reel and motor, a second reel, an operating connection therefrom tosaid motor, and means to alternately render said driving connectionsinoperative so that either reel is operative independently of the other,and a light source and lens system, and

means forming a separate compartment for the film handling mechanismfrom the phonograph mechanism.

In test' ony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR DE MADALER.

